Xiaomi Auto has announced a lifetime safety guarantee for the batteries in its upcoming vehicles, aiming to ease buyer concerns about electric-car fire risks. The plan, unveiled on September 4, covers two scenarios for first owners of non-commercial vehicles: compensation with a new car of equivalent specification if a battery defect causes a fire that writes off the vehicle, and payment of the gap between the insurance payout and the policy value if a collision or underbody scrape leads to a battery fire and total loss. The coverage is free, carries no annual mileage limit, and applies equally to private and corporate registrations, according to Sina Auto.
The guarantee accompanies the launch of Xiaomi's Longjia (armored dragon) battery system, developed in partnership with battery makers CALB and Sunwoda Power. Xiaomi says the system will be fitted across its upcoming Pengcheng model series. The company describes Longjia as a battery standard and system solution defined from a whole-vehicle perspective, with Xiaomi responsible for product definition, battery-pack design, cell development and quality control across the full chain.
Safety claims and testing
Xiaomi says the Longjia battery exceeds Chinese national standards across six safety dimensions. Claimed protections include no thermal runaway spread from a single cell at 55 degrees Celsius when fully charged, and no loss of battery function after a 500-joule impact to the underside. The company also released footage of a single pack undergoing sequential extreme tests: underbody impact, water wading, charging and discharging, followed by dual needle-puncture at high temperature and full charge.
To enforce quality, Xiaomi said its "shadow factory" mechanism places more than 8,000 inspection checkpoints on production lines, with Xiaomi quality experts stationed at supplier plants. The company says it uses X-ray full inspection, CT scanning and AI-based judgment on the line, and archives process data for 15 years to support traceability and risk warnings.
Xiaomi Vice President Li Xiaoshuang said the guarantee plan is intended to remove the need for customers to study battery technology. "We are confident in the quality and safety of the battery, and we want to pass that confidence to users," he said, according to Sina Auto.
Supplier partnerships
The announcement also formalized a strategic cooperation among Xiaomi, CALB and Sunwoda Power. CALB, ranked among the top four global battery installers by capacity, will develop custom electrochemical systems and materials for Longjia and build dedicated production lines. Sunwoda, a major consumer-electronics battery maker with more than 4 billion cells shipped, will contribute cell manufacturing expertise and dedicated lines. Xiaomi said the collaboration goes beyond traditional supply relationships, with Xiaomi bringing vehicle requirements, system definitions and quality demands, while suppliers contribute cell technology and manufacturing experience.
The Longjia launch marks Xiaomi's push to differentiate on battery safety as it prepares to enter the electric-vehicle market. The company has not yet disclosed pricing or specifications for the Pengcheng series, which will be the first models to carry the Longjia battery and the associated guarantee.
Based on reporting by 新浪汽车. Edited and published in English by geisou.
